Earth moving device



Nov. 3, 1936. w Dx BARRETT AL 2,059,431

' EARTH MOVING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1934 Z9 INVENTQRS fiszvos-zl 0. 558,957-7- 25 ea 97 BY n Hep E. get-me i A TTORNEZ.

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE mn'rn MOVING navroa Wendell D. Barrett,

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Edward R. Greer, Minneapolis, Minn.

, assignors to La Plant-Choate Manufacturing Company,

Incorporated, Cedar tion oi Delaware Rapids, Iowa, at corpora-' Application August 2, 1934, Serial No. 738,092 8 Claims. (01. 37-144) v pivotally attached to a tractor,with the blade in front of the tractor, but we have observed that such mountings are not alwayssatisfactory for the reason that the blade is not readily adjustable to vary the depth and angle of cut and to throw the material to one side orthe other as desired. The devices of the prior art have been found at times unable to hold the degree, angle and depth out under load. In most of the devices of the prior art two men were required to. change adjustment of the blade.

We have, therefore, devised a new and improved mounting for scraper blades and the like, which permits adjustment oi the blade to push material ahead of it, or to throw material to the right or the left as desired, and which permits tilting of the blade from side to side. The construction of the blade attaching means is simple and sturdy, and the position of the blade will not vary under load.

A general object of our invention is to provide a new and improved means for attaching a scraper blade, a plow or the like to a framework, which in turn is adapted to be pivotally attached to a tractor or other prime mover.

A more particular object of ourv invention is to provide an attaching means for attaching. a scraper blade or the like to a' tractor to permit adjustment of the blade, to permit tilting thereof, and to permit the blade to be swung about a vertical axis to throw material to the right or left as desired.

Another object of our invention is to provide an attaching means of the above description which is simple and rugged in construction and reliable and sturdy in operation.

Another object of our invention is to provide. simple and sturdy means for locking the bladein any desired position of tilt.

, Another object of our invention is to provide avery; simple and sturdy universaijoint means for atta hi g the v.plcwliners; to the lewp g supporting structure. x Another object of our invention is to provide means for meeting the forces acting upon the blade which tendto rotate it about its ownhorizontal longitudinal axis.

Another object oi our invention is to provide an end plate for the plow .blade which is so conjusted by one man under all of the operating constructed that when one part wears, the plate may be reversed to present a new surface to the 16 ditions which may be encountered.

Other and further objects and features of our invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing and following specification, wherein is disclosed a single embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

V In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the front end of a plowblade supporting structure with a plow blade attached thereto in accordance with one embodiment of our invention. 30

Figure 2 is an elevationalview of the front portion of a plow supporting framework showing the means utilized, in accordance with one em- -bodiment oi' our invention, for locking the blade to the blade-supporting framework when the 5 blade is in the "bulldozing position.

Figure 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken from behind the blade showing the blade attached to the blade-supporting framework in a tilted trailbuilding position 40 of the blade, as illustrated in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly in perspective and partly in section, of the means for pivotally attaching a plow blade to a bladesupporting framework, iliustrated in Figures 1 and 3 portions of the device havingbeen broken away to show the details of construction of the hidden parts.

" bodiment of lour invention:

This invention is concerned with a device such as shown in the patent to Herbert H. Pearson, No.

.and the scraper blade supporting framework constitute no part of our present invention except ,in this connection with the scraper blade and the attaching means therefor, they will not be described in detail, except-insofar as they constitute a part of the structure for adjustably securing the blade.

The scraper blade supporting framework I I includes beams l2 and 13 extending one on each side of the tractor toward the rear thereof and usually pivotally engaged to the tractor at some intermediate point along thesides thereof to permit the front end of the supporting framework to be raised and lowered as desired to raise and lower the scraper blade. In the present case the front end or nose of the supporting framework is comprised of a pair of forwardly and inwardly inclined and extending beams l6 and I1 attached to the members 12 and I3 by means of plates l8 and I9 and joined at their inner ends by a short,

transversely-extending channel or nose 2!.

In this embodiment of the invention, a cap bracket 8| is secured to the upper rear face and a pad bracekt 83 to the lower rear face of the plow blade 28, in any suitable manner as by welding or bolting them to the blade.

A T-shaped member 11 has its cross bar portion 11 pivotally engaged to the cap bracket and to the pad-bracket 83 by means of a bottom cap bracket 82, and the scraper or plow blade 28 may pivot from side to side in a horizontal plane on the vertically-extending cylindrical cross bar 11 of the T-shaped member 11. The stem of the T-shaped member, indicated at 12, projects through the nose 2i and is held in place by a bolt 13, washer 14 and nut 16. The bolt 13 projects entirely through the stem 12 of the T-shaped member and the nose 26. The blade thus may also pivot about in a vertical plane with the bolt 13 as a horizontal axis. The structure of this center pivot mounting is more particularly hereinafter described.

It is desirable that the blade be adjustable to at least three positions in the horizontal plane, that is, two extreme positions, termed the trailbuilding positions, in which the blade will throw material to the right or to the left, and an intermediate or bulldozing" position in which the blade is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the earth moving device, in which position it is adapted to push material ahead of it, as in levelling off an irregular ground surface.

It is desirable furthermore that the blade, in the trailbuilding" positions, be adjustable in vertical planes about the longitudinal axis of the earth moving device so that the blade will cut equally on both sides, or will make an angular out which is deeper on one side than the other, as in crowning a road or the like. It is desirable, in all positions, that the blade be firmly held so that the depth and angle of cut will not vary under load except if and when changed by the operator.

In order to accomplish the results above noted I we have provided a structure so constructed that the blade is amply braced and supported at both ends thereof as well as at the middle. The frame members I2 and I3 are box sections open at their front ends and the brackets or connecting plates '61 and.

' l8 and i9 surround these box-like members, and

are so arranged that the front end of the box members 12 and 13 are left open. A pair of channel members 36 and 31 are adapted to fit within the box frame members I! and 13. These channel members are of sufllcient length that, when in the extended position as shown in Figure l, the channels still have sumcient bearings within the box frame members that the channels are rigidly supported to prevent movement up and down of the outer ends of the channels. The channels 36 and 31 may be locked in any one of three desired positions by means of pins 38 which are passed through aligned openings 39 in the channels and openings 4| in the box frame members.

A pair of swivel clevis members or brackets 42 and 43 are provided on the front ends of the channels 36 and 31. The brackets 42 and 43 are provided with forwardly-extending clevis ears 44 and 46 which are somewhat similar to the clevis ears 81 and 82 at the center of the blade. Clevis eyes 41 and 48 are adapted to be engaged within the clevis ears 44 and 46 by means of pins 61 and 52 and the front portions of these eyes 'are each provided with double lobed ears 53 and 54 in order that each of the eye brackets 41 and 48 may be engaged at two points to two pairs of curved flanges 56 and 51, which are fastened to the rear face of the scraper blade 28.

The ears 53 and 54 are adapted to be secured in selected positions with respect to the curved flanges 56 and 51, by means of pins 6| and 62 which pass through openings 63 and 64 in the respective flanges 56a, 56b, 51a, and 51b. A series of openings 63 and 64 are provided in the respective flanges 56 and 51 and openings 66 are provided in the ears 53 and 54. It is apparent that the blade may be tilted from side to side as desired and will be held in any desired position of tilt by engaging the pins 6| and 62 in suitable openings of flanges 56 and 51.

The eye brackets 41 and 48 may swivel from side to side on the pins 5| and 52 and the channels 36 and 31 may be slid in and out with regard to the box members 12 and 13 so as to hold the blade in either of the two trailbuilding positions. When the desired trailbuilding position has been reached the channels 36 and-31 are locked in the box members 12 and'l3 by means of pins 38. The

swivel eyes 41 and 48 must be disengaged from.

flanges 66 and .51 while changing from one trailbuilding position to the other. By providing swivels atv these points the same structure may be utilized for securing the blade to the bladesupporting framework in both trailbuilding" positions, since the swivels swing from side to side.

In the intermediate or bulldozing" position of the blade the swivels 41 and 48 are attached. to an inner set of short flanges 50 and 55, similar to the flanges 56 and 51, by means of the pins The dotted lines B and T2111 Figure '1 indicate the position the front edge of the blade occupies in the fbulldozing" and alternate "trailmounting the scraper blade on the nose 'of the blade-supporting framework. In this embodiment of our invention a large T-shaped casting 1| is employed for-pivotally engaging the blade to the frame. This T-shaped member, which we may term the "blade pivot", has a shaft portion "which is adapted to project through a suitable opening-in the channel or nose 2| and 75 to be rotatably mounted within this channel. A sleeve 19 is engaged within the nose 2| and over the shaft portion 12. This shaft portion is adapted to be held in place by a through bolt 19 having a washer l4 and lock nut 16 adapted to bear against the rear face of the nose 2|. An

enlarged disc-like portion 15 of the upright or cross bar of the member H is so positioned as to bear against the front face of the ndse 2| in order to .provide a large bearing surface to meet the force imparted to the blade by pushing the material in front .of'the blade.

The front portion of the blade pivot, constituting the cross bar of the T-shaped member, is a vertically-extending, substantially cylindrical member I1 having reduced stub shaft portions 11a and 11b at top and bottom to afford means for pivotally attaching the blade to the T-shaped member II.

A cap 19, which may be termed the upper blade pivot cap, is adapted to fit over the stub shaft 11a at the upper end of the cylindrical member I1 and a like member which may be termed the bottom blade pivot cap 19 is adapted to flt over the stub shaft "b at the lower end of the cylindrical member TI. The cap member I9 is provided with a forwardly-extending bracket 9! which is preferably welded to the rear face of the central upper portion of the scraper blade 29. The bottom pivot cap I9 is provided with another bracket 92 which is adapted to be removably engaged to a suitable pad 93 on the rear, central, lower face of the blade. The bracket 82 is .prefer ably removably engaged to the blade 29 by means of the bolts 94. In assembling the blade on the blade pivot II the blade is placed infront of the pivot with the cap 18 on the stub shaft 11a. The

bracket 92 is then placed on the stub shaft .11!) and fastened by means of the bolts 94 to the blade. Assembly and disassembly of the blade on the blade support is therefore quite-readily accomplished.

It is apparent that the blade 28 will pivot about a horizontally-extending axis represented by the bolt 19 and may pivot about a verticallyextending axis as represented by the cross bar ll of the pivot II. This pivot is strong and sturdy and is readily assembled and disassembled. The entire assembly may be removed by removing the nut 19 from bolt 19..

A scraper blade, such as the scraper blade 28, g,

, a great extent upon the life of these parts. In

order to prolong the life of a blade we preferably provide a separate cutting edge 94 of a very hard material for the blade. This cutting edge is secured to the blade as by means of bolts 98 .and

may thus be readily replaced if it becomes worn.

We have devised novel removable blade ends 95 for meeting wear at the ends of the blade. These blade ends have flattened bottom and top surfaces as indicated at 91 and 99, respectively, and the angles which the surfaces 91 and 99 make with the curved front faces 99 of the blade ends are identical. These angles are such that-the lower faces of the blade ends are substantially parallel to the ground. The blade ends are held in place on the blades by means of bolts llll and the side faces I92 slope inwardly so that when the blade is in the trailbuilding position forwardly-extending the side I 92 of the forward blade end is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the earth moving device. If the lower faces of the blade ends become worn both blade ends may be removed and their positons reversed, that is, the blade ends may be placed on opposite ends of the blade 29 and in this manner new faces will be presented to the ground where the greatest wear is encountered. In this .way the useful lifeof the blade ends is doubled.

It is apparent that modifications may be made by those skilled in the art and such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit v and scope of my invention as set forth in the 2. An earth moving device including a plow blade and a plow blade supporting device and means for adjustably securing the plow blade to a plow blade supporting framework comprising a central pivotconnection-between the blade andframework, opposed arcuate flange members at either end of the blade, push poles adapted to be slidingly engaged within the side members of the frame, means on the outer end of the push poles for connection with the arcuate flanges, and means for engaging the push poles -within the'framework'for holding them at predetermined positions.

3. An earth moving? device including a plow blade and a plow blade supporting framework and means for locking the ends of the plow blade to the plow blade supporting framework including a center pivot mounting, arcuate flange members on the ends of the plow blade, push poles in the side frame members adapted for longitudinal movement therein, brackets on the rear face of the plow blade adjacent the arcuate'members, and swivel means on the ends of the push poles for engaging either the arcuate I members or the bracket members.

4. In an earth moving device, a plow blade and a plow blade supporting structure, a push pole slidingly engaged to the plow blade supporting structure and havinga swivel end pivotally engaged to the push pole for rotation about a pivotal axis and a pair of curved flanges on the rear face of the end of the plow bladeadapted to receive the free portion of the swivel and means for pivotally engaging the plow blade with the supporting structure near the center of the blade whereby the blade'm'ay be tilted from side'to side as for crowning a road and may also be positioned with one end or the other to the rear to discharge material to one side or the other.

5. A pivot mounting for mounting a blade on a blade supporting framework comprising flange and cap members adapted to be secured to the blade and a T-shaped member with the cross bar of the T-shaped member adapted to-be rotatably received in the aforementioned cap members and having the stem portion pivotally 'engaged within the blade supporting framework.

2,059,431 6. A pivot mounting for mounting a blade on poles to the side frame members in a plurality a blade supporting framework comprising of positions to permit adjustment of the blade brackets mounted top and bottom on the rear of the blade and having vertically extending openings therein, a T-shaped member having the cross bar of the T received in the openings in the brackets and having the stem portion projecting into the nose of the blade supporting framework and rotatably mounted therein and retaining means on the stem for retaining it in the blade supporting framework.

'7. An earth moving device including a plow blade, a plow blade supporting framework, and

means for locking the ends of the plow blade to the plow blade supporting framework including a center pivot mounting, flange members on the ends of the plow blade, .push poles having sliding adjustable connection with the sideframe members, swivel members pivotally engaged to the front ends of each push pole, means for pinning the swivels to the fiangemembers on the ends of the plow blade in a plurality of positions to permit tilting of the blade about its transverse axis, and means for pinning the push about its vertical'axls.

8. An earth moving device including a plow blade, a plow blade supporting framework and means for engaging the plow blade to the plow blade supporting framework including a pivotal connection between the central portion of the blade and the front part of the blade supporting framework, flanges on the rear face of the blade adjacent the ends thereof, push pole members having cooperative relation with the side members of the blade supporting framework whereby one set of members is received at least partially in the other set, means for pinning the push poles to the side members in a plurality of positions, swivels pivotally engaged on the front ends of the push poles and means for pinning the swivels' to the flanges on the rear of the blade in a plurality of positions to permit tilting of the blade about its transverse axis.

WENDELL D. BARRETT. EDWARD R. GREER. 

